Mardi Gras kicks into high gear

Michelle Rolls / RegisterA masker from the Mystic Order of Persephone Mardi Gras society throws beads to crowds along the streets of Daphne.

BAY MINETTE -- Pushing a baby stroller at breakneck speed, Becca Walden glanced over her right shoulder and implored her two sons to hurry.

The Spanish Fort mom -- with 8-year-old Gray, 6-year-old Miles and 1-year-old Lucy in the stroller -- screeched to a halt a the corner of Hand and East First Street, and the two boys arrived seconds later. Before long, a grandmother and several friends in town from Auburn surrounded them, and all waved frantically in hopes of catching beads and other trinkets.

"I think it was great," Walden said after the final float rolled past. "They gave us a lot of stuff, and they gave plenty of stuffed animals for the baby. They were very nice to the baby."

Everyone in the family seemingly caught a horde of beads, judging from the neckwear that would make Mr. T blush with envy. After all, isn't that the plan?

The final weekend before Fat Tuesday featured a host of Mardi Gras parades, with 10 parades throughout Baldwin County over the weekend. Several more parades are scheduled for today and Tuesday.

Michelle Rolls / RegisterA parade marshal from the Mystic Order of Persephone throws beads to crowds in Daphne.

On Friday, the Mystic Order of Persephone paraded through the heart of Daphne, where St. Benedict School teacher Wang Zhenghai -- who was recently profiled on "NBC Nightly News" -- was spotted in the crowd at his first Mardi Gras parade.

A relatively light crowd lined Daphne's Main Street on a clear, chilly evening, but that didn't stop the masked revelers from spreading their cheer.

Just a few miles away in Fairhope, the Maids of Jubilee parade rolled through the historic downtown streets. Fairhope Police reported no problems with the parade, which has earned a reputation as one of the Eastern Shore's best.

Then, on Saturday, the Mystic Revelers took to the streets of Bay Minette, starting near Wal-Mart on Alabama 59 and ending up in downtown.

That's where Walden and her children staked out a spot along the Courthouse Square, where food and merchandise vendors created a vibe more like a county fair than a Mardi Gras celebration. Once the procession rolled past them, the Waldens sprinted a block south and set up shop a second time. Becca Walden carried a black garbage to carry the loot.

All three children quickly picked their favorite throws, as 1-year-old Lucy Walden immediately became fixated on a mini-Moon Pie, quickly grabbing what many consider the Holy Grail of Carnival throws.

"She wants me to open it for her," said Walden, bending over to rip open the package. "There you go."